Ministers of 6 Opposition states move apex court for review of NEET, JEE order

Chennai

The apex court’s August 17 order allowing the exams has become a political battle as the ministers from the six states — ruled by parties like Congress, TMC, JMM, NCP and Shiv Sena — sought postponement of the exams “in a manner that achieves the twin objectives of ensuring that the academic year of the students is not wasted and their health and safety is not compromised.” The review plea has been filed by ministers from West Bengal (Moloy Ghatak), Jharkhand (Rameshwar Oraon), Rajasthan (Raghu Sharma), Chhattisgarh (Amarjeet Bhagat), Punjab (B S Sidhu) and Maharashtra (Uday Ravindra Sawant). The plea, filed through advocate Sunil Fernandes, said the apex court order fails to satisfy the safety and security concerns of students who have to appear for the exams.

The top court had refused to interfere with the conduct of the medical and engineering entrance exams, saying that life must go on and students can’t lose a precious year due to the pandemic.

National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducts both the exams, has decided to hold NEET on September 13 and JEE Main exams for entrance to under-graduate Engineering Colleges and Institutes from September 1 to 6. The apex court had dismissed a plea by one Sayantan Biswas and others seeking direction to NTA to postpone them after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta assured that all safeguards would be taken.

Terming the decision to conduct exam as irrational, the plea said that the top court failed to appreciate that the Union government had adequate time to establish at least one centre for every district for NEET (UG) and JEE (Mains) rather than having several centres in one district.